The executive branch of the modern state of Ireland is titled the Government of Ireland. It has had this title since the adoption of the Constitution of Ireland in 1937. The Ministry of Dáil Éireann was the cabinet of the Irish Republic, from operated from 1919 to 1922. This overlapped with the Provisional Government which was put in place after the approval of the Anglo-Irish Treaty in January 1922. Both these cabinets ceased to operate from December 1922, on the coming into being of the Irish Free State. From 1922 to 1937, the cabinet was known as the Executive Council of the Irish Free State.
| Cabinet | State | Head | Deputy | Constitution | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ministry | Irish Republic | President of Dáil Éireann | N/A | Dáil Constitution | 21 January 1919 – 6 December 1922 | |
| Provisional Government | Southern Ireland | Chairman | N/A | Irish Free State (Agreement) Act 1922 | 3 May 1921 – 6 December 1922 | |
| Executive Council | Irish Free State | President | Vice-President | Constitution of the Irish Free State | 6 December 1922 – 29 December 1937 | |
| Government | Ireland | Taoiseach | Tánaiste | Constitution of Ireland | Since 29 December 1937 |
| State | Dáil | Election | Formation | Cabinet | Composition | Head | Deputy | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Irish Republic | 1st | data-sort-value="1918" rowspan="2" | 1918 | data-sort-value="Ministry.01" | 1st ministry | data-sort-value="Sinn Fein" rowspan="2" | data-sort-value="Brugha" | Cathal Brugha | data-sort-value="-" | N/A | ||||
| data-sort-value="Ministry.02" | 2nd ministry | data-sort-value="de Valera" | Éamon de Valera | data-sort-value="Griffith, Arthur" | Arthur Griffith | |||||||||
| data-sort-value="02" rowspan="3" | 2nd | data-sort-value="1921" rowspan="3" | 1921 | data-sort-value="Ministry.03" | 3rd ministry | data-sort-value="Sinn Fein" | data-sort-value="de Valera" | Éamon de Valera | data-sort-value="-" | N/A | ||||
| data-sort-value="Ministry.04" | 4th ministry | data-sort-value="Sinn Fein (PT)" rowspan="2" | data-sort-value="Griffith" | Arthur Griffith | data-sort-value="-" | N/A | ||||||||
| Southern Ireland | data-sort-value="Provisional.01" | 1st provisional government | data-sort-value="Collins, Micha1el" | Michael Collins | data-sort-value="-" | N/A | ||||||||
| data-sort-value="03" rowspan="2" | 3rd | data-sort-value="1922.3" rowspan="2" | 1922 | data-sort-value="Provisional.02" | 2nd provisional government | data-sort-value="Sinn Fein (PT)" rowspan="2" | data-sort-value="Cosgrave, W. T." rowspan="2" | W. T. Cosgrave | data-sort-value="-" | N/A | ||||
| Irish Free State | data-sort-value="Executive.01" | 1st executive council | data-sort-value="O Higgins, Kevin" | Kevin O'Higgins | ||||||||||
| data-sort-value="04" | 4th | data-sort-value="1923" | 1923 | data-sort-value="Executive.02" | 2nd executive council | data-sort-value="Cumann na nGaedheal" | data-sort-value="Cosgrave, W. T." | W. T. Cosgrave | data-sort-value="O Higgins, Kevin" | Kevin O'Higgins | ||||
| 5th | June 1927 | 3rd executive council | data-sort-value="Cumann na nGaedheal" rowspan="2" | data-sort-value="Cosgrave, W. T. Cosgrave" rowspan="2" | W. T. Cosgrave | data-sort-value="O Higgins, Kevin" | Kevin O'Higgins | |||||||
| data-sort-value="Blythe, Ernest" | Ernest Blythe | |||||||||||||
| data-sort-value="06" rowspan="2" | 6th | data-sort-value="1927.09" rowspan="2" | Sept. 1927 | data-sort-value="Executive.04" | 4th executive council | data-sort-value="Cumann na nGaedheal" rowspan="2" | data-sort-value="Cosgrave, W. T." rowspan="2" | W. T. Cosgrave | data-sort-value="Blythe, Ernest" rowspan="2" | Ernest Blythe | ||||
| data-sort-value="Executive.05" | 5th executive council | |||||||||||||
| data-sort-value="07" | 7th | data-sort-value="1932" | 1932 | data-sort-value="Executive.06" | 6th executive council | data-sort-value="Fianna Fail" | data-sort-value="de Valera" | Éamon de Valera | data-sort-value="O Kelly, Sean T" | Seán T. O'Kelly | ||||
| data-sort-value="08" | 8th | data-sort-value="1933" | 1933 | data-sort-value="Executive.07" | 7th executive council | data-sort-value="Fianna Fail" | data-sort-value="de Valera" | Éamon de Valera | data-sort-value="O Kelly, Sean T" | Seán T. O'Kelly | ||||
| data-sort-value="09" rowspan="2" | 9th | data-sort-value="1937" rowspan="2" | 1937 | data-sort-value="Executive.08" | 8th executive council | data-sort-value="Fianna Fail" rowspan="2" | data-sort-value="de Valera" rowspan="2" | Éamon de Valera | data-sort-value="O Kelly, Sean T" rowspan="2" | Seán T. O'Kelly | ||||
| Ireland | data-sort-value="Gov.01" | 1st government | ||||||||||||
| data-sort-value="10" | 10th | data-sort-value="1938" | 1938 | data-sort-value="Gov.02" | 2nd government | data-sort-value="Fianna Fail" | data-sort-value="de Valera" | Éamon de Valera | data-sort-value="O Kelly, Sean T" | Seán T. O'Kelly | ||||
| data-sort-value="11" | 11th | data-sort-value="1943" | 1943 | data-sort-value="Gov.03" | 3rd government | data-sort-value="Fianna Fail minority" | data-sort-value="de Valera" | Éamon de Valera | data-sort-value="O Kelly, Sean T" | Seán T. O'Kelly | ||||
| data-sort-value="12" rowspan=2 | 12th | data-sort-value="1944" rowspan=2 | 1944 | data-sort-value="Gov.04" rowspan=2 | 4th government | data-sort-value="Fianna Fail" rowspan=2 | data-sort-value="de Valera" rowspan=2 | Éamon de Valera | data-sort-value="O Kelly, Sean T" | Seán T. O'Kelly | ||||
| data-sort-value="Lemass, Sean" | Seán Lemass | |||||||||||||
| data-sort-value="13" | 13th | data-sort-value="1948" | 1948 | data-sort-value="Gov.05" | 5th government | data-sort-value="Fine Gael Labour Clann na Poblachta" | data-sort-value="Costello, John A" | John A. Costello | data-sort-value="Norton, William" | William Norton | ||||
| data-sort-value="14" | 14th | data-sort-value="1951" | 1951 | data-sort-value="Gov.06" | 6th government | data-sort-value="Fianna Fail minority" | data-sort-value="de Valera" | Éamon de Valera | data-sort-value="Lemass, Sean" | Seán Lemass | ||||
| data-sort-value="15" | 15th | data-sort-value="1954" | 1954 | data-sort-value="Gov.07" | 7th government | data-sort-value="Fine Gael Labour Clann na Talmhan" | data-sort-value="Costello, John A" | John A. Costello | data-sort-value="Norton, William" | William Norton | ||||
| data-sort-value="16" rowspan="2" | 16th | data-sort-value="1957" rowspan="2" | 1957 | data-sort-value="Gov.08" | 8th government | data-sort-value="Fianna Fail" rowspan="2" | data-sort-value="de Valera" | Éamon de Valera | data-sort-value="Lemass, Sean" | Seán Lemass | ||||
| data-sort-value="Gov.09" | 9th government | data-sort-value="Lemass, Sean" | Seán Lemass | data-sort-value="MacEntee, Sean" | Seán MacEntee | |||||||||
| data-sort-value="17" | 17th | data-sort-value="1961" | 1961 | data-sort-value="Gov.10" | 10th government | data-sort-value="Fianna Fail minority" | data-sort-value="Lemass, Sean" | Seán Lemass | data-sort-value="MacEntee, Sean" | Seán MacEntee | ||||
| data-sort-value="18" rowspan="2" | 18th | data-sort-value="1965" rowspan="2" | 1965 | data-sort-value="Gov.11" | 11th government | data-sort-value="Fianna Fail" rowspan="2" | data-sort-value="Lemass, Sean" | Seán Lemass | data-sort-value="Aiken, Frank" rowspan="2" | Frank Aiken | ||||
| data-sort-value="Gov.12" | 12th government | data-sort-value="Lynch, Jack" | Jack Lynch | |||||||||||
| data-sort-value="19" | 19th | data-sort-value="1969" | 1969 | data-sort-value="Gov.13" | 13th government | data-sort-value="Fianna Fail" | data-sort-value="Lynch, Jack" | Jack Lynch | data-sort-value="Childers, Erskine" | Erskine H. Childers | ||||
| data-sort-value="20" | 20th | data-sort-value="1973" | 1973 | data-sort-value="Gov.14" | 14th government | data-sort-value="Fine Gael Labour" | data-sort-value="Cosgrave, Liam" | Liam Cosgrave | data-sort-value="Corish, Brendan" | Brendan Corish | ||||
| data-sort-value="21.1" rowspan="2" | 21st | data-sort-value="1977" rowspan="2" | 1977 | data-sort-value="Gov.15" | 15th government | data-sort-value="Fianna Fail" rowspan="2" | data-sort-value="Lynch, Jack" | Jack Lynch | data-sort-value="Colley, George" rowspan="2" | George Colley | ||||
| data-sort-value="Gov.16" | 16th government | data-sort-value="Haughey, Charles" | Charles Haughey | |||||||||||
| data-sort-value="22" | 22nd | data-sort-value="1981" | 1981 | data-sort-value="Gov.17" | 17th government | data-sort-value="Fine Gael Labour" | data-sort-value="FitzGerald, Garret" | Garret FitzGerald | data-sort-value="O Leary, Michael" | Michael O'Leary | ||||
| data-sort-value="23" | 23rd | data-sort-value="1982.1" | Feb. 1982 | data-sort-value="Gov.18" | 18th government | data-sort-value="Fianna Fail minority" | data-sort-value="Haughey, Charles" | Charles Haughey | data-sort-value="MacSharry, Ray" | Ray MacSharry | ||||
| data-sort-value="24" rowspan="2" | 24th | data-sort-value="1982.2" rowspan="2" | Nov. 1982 | data-sort-value="Gov.19" rowspan="2" | 19th government | data-sort-value="Fine Gael Labour" rowspan="2" | data-sort-value="FitzGerald, Garret" rowspan="2" | Garret FitzGerald | data-sort-value="Spring, Dick" | Dick Spring | ||||
| data-sort-value="Barry, Peter" | Peter Barry | |||||||||||||
| data-sort-value="25" | 25th | data-sort-value="1987" | 1987 | data-sort-value="Gov.20" | 20th government | data-sort-value="Fianna Fail minority" | data-sort-value="Haughey, Charles" | Charles Haughey | data-sort-value="Lenihan, Brian" | Brian Lenihan | ||||
| data-sort-value="26" rowspan="3" | 26th | data-sort-value="1989" rowspan="3" | 1989 | data-sort-value="Gov.21" rowspan="2" | 21st government | data-sort-value="Fianna Fail PD" rowspan="3" | data-sort-value="Haughey, Charles" rowspan="2" | Charles Haughey | data-sort-value="Lenihan, Brian" | Brian Lenihan | ||||
| data-sort-value="Wilson, John" | John Wilson | |||||||||||||
| data-sort-value="Gov.22" | 22nd government | data-sort-value="Reynolds, Albert" | Albert Reynolds | data-sort-value="Wilson, John" | John Wilson | |||||||||
| data-sort-value="27" rowspan="3" | 27th | data-sort-value="1992" rowspan="3" | 1992 | data-sort-value="Gov.23" rowspan="2" | 23rd government | data-sort-value="Fianna Fail Labour" rowspan="2" | data-sort-value="Reynolds, Albert" rowspan="2" | Albert Reynolds | data-sort-value="Spring, Dick" | Dick Spring | ||||
| data-sort-value="Ahern, Bertie" | Bertie Ahern | |||||||||||||
| data-sort-value="Gov.24" | 24th government | data-sort-value="Fine Gael Labour DL" | data-sort-value="Bruton, John" | John Bruton | data-sort-value="Spring, Dick" | Dick Spring | ||||||||
| data-sort-value="28" | 28th | data-sort-value="1997" | 1997 | data-sort-value="Gov.25" | 25th government | data-sort-value="Fianna Fail PD" | data-sort-value="Ahern, Bertie" | Bertie Ahern | data-sort-value="Harney, Mary" | Mary Harney | ||||
| data-sort-value="29" rowspan="2" | 29th | data-sort-value="2002" rowspan="2" | 2002 | data-sort-value="Gov.26" rowspan="2" | 26th government | data-sort-value="Fianna Fail PD" rowspan="2" | data-sort-value="Ahern, Bertie" rowspan="2" | Bertie Ahern | data-sort-value="Harney, Mary" | Mary Harney | ||||
| data-sort-value="McDowell, Michael" | Michael McDowell | |||||||||||||
| data-sort-value="30" rowspan="2" | 30th | data-sort-value="2007" rowspan="2" | 2007 | data-sort-value="Gov.27" | 27th government | data-sort-value="Fianna Fail Green" | data-sort-value="Ahern, Bertie" | Bertie Ahern | data-sort-value="Cowen, Brian" | Brian Cowen | ||||
| data-sort-value="Gov.28" | 28th government | data-sort-value="Fianna Fail Green" | data-sort-value="Cowen, Brian" | Brian Cowen | data-sort-value="Coughlan, Mary" | Mary Coughlan | ||||||||
| data-sort-value="31" rowspan="2" | 31st | data-sort-value="2011" rowspan="2" | 2011 | data-sort-value="Gov.29" rowspan="2" | 29th government | data-sort-value="Fine Gael Labour" rowspan="2" | data-sort-value="Kenny, Enda" rowspan="2" | Enda Kenny | data-sort-value="Gilmore, Eamon" | Eamon Gilmore | ||||
| data-sort-value="Burton, Joan" | Joan Burton | |||||||||||||
| 32nd | 2016 | data-sort-value="Gov.30" | 30th government | data-sort-value="Kenny, Enda" | Enda Kenny | data-sort-value="Fitzgerald, Frances" | Frances Fitzgerald | |||||||
| 31st government | Leo Varadkar | Frances Fitzgerald | ||||||||||||
| data-sort-value="Coveney, Simon" | Simon Coveney | |||||||||||||
| data-sort-value="33" rowspan=3 | 33rd | data-sort-value="2020"rowspan=3 | 2020 | data-sort-value="Gov.32" | 32nd government | data-sort-value="Martin" | Micheál Martin | data-sort-value="Varadkar" | Leo Varadkar | |||||
| data-sort-value="Gov.33" | 33rd government | data-sort-value="Varadkar" | Leo Varadkar | data-sort-value="Martin" | Micheál Martin | |||||||||
| data-sort-value="Gov.34" | 34th government | data-sort-value="Harris" | Simon Harris | data-sort-value="Martin" | Micheál Martin | |||||||||
See also: List of Northern Ireland Executives. The current devolved branch of Northern Ireland is known as the Northern Ireland Executive, established under the Good Friday Agreement. The Executive has been in operation, intermittently, since 1999, and is current operational. Since 1921, Northern Ireland has been governed by two other devolved cabinets: Executive Committee of the Privy Council from 1921 to 1972 and the Northern Ireland Executive of 1974. Northern Ireland has also been governed by direct rule from 1972 to 1974, 1974–98 and 2002–07.
| Cabinet | Head | Deputy | Act | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime Minister of Northern Ireland | Minister of Finance | Government of Ireland Act 1920 | 7 June 1921 – 30 March 1972 | ||
| Executive (1974) | Chief Executive | Deputy Chief Executive | Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973 | 1 January 1974 – 28 May 1974 | |
| Executive | First Minister | Deputy First Minister | Northern Ireland Act 1998 | 1 July 1998 – 14 October 2002 8 May 2007 – present |